Unstable medications are often stored in powdered form under inert gases, or as a concentrated liquid which may require refrigeration. Before use, the medication must be dissolved, diluted, and/or warmed. The processed medication has only short-term stability, and must be used rapidly. Premixed medications may be sent to a user by priority mail or other rapid shipping service; however, this adds significant cost to the user, and the delay incurred may reduce the effectiveness of the medication. Complicated mixing apparatus and protocols currently in use for mixing and diluting medications in a sterile environment have generated difficulty for patients who self-administer medications while housebound. Other situations which require medications to be mixed or diluted include trauma units, hospitals and doctor's offices where nurses and other medical staff must quickly and accurately mix medications while maintaining sterile conditions.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,923,059 for “Medicament Injector,” which issued to R. W. Ogle on Dec. 2, 1975, a device for expelling the contents of a vial into a solution container is described. The vial is preloaded at a central plant, used once at the time of injection into an intravenous bottle, and thereafter disposed of. There is no teaching therein for measuring a chosen amount of medication into the intravenous bottle, and storing the remaining material for later, repeated use, for diluting medications or for dissolving medications shipped as solids.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a device for transferring a chosen quantity of medication into a container for intravenous injection under sterile conditions.
Another object of the invention is to provide a device for diluting concentrated medications and transferring the diluted medication into a container for intravenous injection under sterile conditions.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a device for dissolving a chosen quantity of medication and transferring the solution into a container for intravenous injection under sterile conditions.
Additional objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.